What we know about the gunman who killed 10 in Austria school shooting

Austria is observing three days of national mourning for 10 people killed after a gunman attacked a high school in the southern city of Graz.
The incident in Austria's second-largest city of some 300,000 was the deadliest mass shooting in the Alpine country's recent history.
Police are investigating why the gunman, identified by authorities as a former student at the school who failed to graduate, may have carried out the attack.
The perpetrator, identified by Austrian media as "Artur A", had no prior criminal record. He reportedly took his own life in the school bathroom after carrying out the attack.
During a search of the alleged perpetrator's house, the police found plans for an explosive attack as well as a non-functioning pipe bomb.
They also found a digital and handwritten suicide note addressed to the perpetrator's parents.
"No motive can be taken from the farewell letter so far," Director of Public Security Franz Ruf told public broadcaster ORF on Tuesday evening. Local media speculated that years of bullying may have been a possible motive for the massacre.
By Wednesday morning, the authority that runs hospitals in Graz said that all patients were in stable condition.
Nine were still in intensive care units, with one needing a further operation on a facial wound and a second on a knee injury, while another two had been moved to regular wards.
Local media report that the 21-year-old lived with his mother. A neighbour told OE24 that 'he was completely introverted.'
The suspected gunman was in possession of two firearms which were seized by police after the attack.
He had legally acquired both weapons and had reportedly passed the psychological evaluation required in Austria to obtain a so-called 'Category B' firearm possession card.
In Austria, weapons are traditionally carried for hunting rather than for self-defence. Some weapons, such as rifles and shotguns, can be purchased from the age of 18 without a permit.
Other weapons, such as repeating shotguns or semi-automatic firearms, are more difficult to acquire — buyers need a gun ownership card and a firearms pass.
The rare shooting, which has led to an outpouring of grief and shock in Austria, is likely to prompt a domestic debate over whether arms should be restricted, which has more liberal gun laws and high private gun ownership relative to the rest of Europe.
The mayor of the city of Graz, Elke Kahr, has already called for a complete ban on private weapons. Gun licenses are "issued too quickly," she said in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The case would be examined and gaps would be closed, Ruf said. The perpetrator was not allowed to carry the weapons outside of his home, he added.
Local media speculated that the school was unprepared for an attack of this scale, given that school shootings are rare in Austria. Director of Public Security Franz Ruf stated that investigations will be launched to explore how schools can better implement preventive and protective measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the tragedy "incomprehensible".
"Schools must remain places of peace – places where children can grow and learn," he said.
The government added that numerous crisis intervention teams have been set up to support the victims and their families, including a hotline for those affected.
"The school must be a safe place for everyone, where students can develop. Everyone who needs help after today's crime should get help," Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said.
Martin Jäger, Germany's ambassador to Ukraine, is set to become the new head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), German media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.
Jäger will replace Bruno Kahl as Germany's spy chief, with Kahl set to take up the ambassadorship to the Vatican.
The German government has yet to officially confirm the change.
Jäger is considered an experienced crisis diplomat due to his role as German ambassador to Ukraine, a post he has filled since 2023, the year after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country.
He previously served as ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In Germany, Jäger, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, worked as a spokesperson for the finance ministry, then headed by Wolfgang Schäuble.
He also worked as state secretary in the Ministry of the Interior.
The Federal Intelligence Service is subordinate to the chancellery and therefore under Friedrich Merz, who is authorised to appoint the president.
The BND is tasked with collecting and evaluating information of foreign and security policy significance and supplying the federal government with reports and analyses.
The BND is one of the few government agencies authorised to use intelligence services such as espionage.
According to German outlets, the German government is planning a fundamental reorganisation of the intelligence service and wants to provide the BND with more funding.
The BND is also to be given more flexibility in terms of spying abroad and technical reconnaissance, according to the domestic press.

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